The Willie Mullins-trained pair Kemboy and Carefully Selected appear to be the ones to beat as they jostle at the top of the market for the Tote Fantasy Bobbyjo Chase at Fairyhouse on Saturday.
Long-time consistent performer Kemboy just about carries the favourite tag at the moment, and their recent form explains why there is little to choose between the two for this trip over an extended three miles and a furlong.
The elder of the two by a couple of months, Kemboy has made two Grade One starts this term, finishing second to Conflated in the Savills Chase and then coming home sixth in the Irish Gold Cup earlier in the month.
Patrick Mullins, assistant to his father, said of the bay: "Kemboy has been dropped in class with no penalties.
"The conditions of the race should suit him very well, hopefully the ground won't be too slow for him. He's been in good form since Leopardstown and he should run very well."
Carefully Selected is Aintree-bound for the Grand National in April, with the Bobbyjo recognised as a trial for the big race and named after the 1999 winner.
Mullins' gelding landed the Thyestes Chase at Gowran when last seen, another pointer to the National, and will look to gain even more experience at the weekend as he is lightly raced for his age.
Mullins said: "For Carefully Selected this is a great Grand National trial, he gets in with no penalties either.
"He'd prefer slower, softer ground. That will suit him well, the trip will suit him well, he came out of Gowran in good form.
"We're trying to get a run and some experience into him before Aintree, so this race suits perfectly for him.
"He knows the track – a big, galloping track should suit him.
"We'd be expecting big runs from the two of them."
Also involved is Martin Brassil's Longhouse Poet, another who is National-bound and returns to fences having been run three times over hurdles this season so far.
Gordon Elliott is set to run Pencilfulloflead, third in the Thyestes, and the Gigginstown House Stud-owned grey Farclas.
Enjoy D'Allen will represent Ciaran Murphy's stable, with Gavin Cromwell's Vanillier, Paul Gilligan's Glamorgan Duke and Stuart Crawford's Now Where Or When completing the field of nine.
